History Repeats as Yankees Sweep Red Sox  —  The sweep was more emphatic last August, when the Yankees rampaged into Fenway Park and won five games to bury the Boston Red Sox.  The best the Yankees could do this time was to win three at Yankee Stadium and chisel a chunk from Boston's sizable lead in the American League East.

Cubs have the look of winners … CHICAGO — If you're a student of history, billy goats and guys named Bartman, you know there are certain words you should always be wary of using in the same sentence as the term Cubs season.  —  Magical comes to mind.  —  Or enchanted, perhaps ... mystical, maybe ... special, possibly.

Call-Ups Likely Will Be Old and New  —  Major league rosters are allowed to expand from 25 to 40 tomorrow, and the Washington Nationals are likely to get two waves of reinforcements — the first as early as tomorrow, the next after most minor league seasons are over on Tuesday.

Listen up: Balester making some noise  —  Young right-hander working to develop his repertoire  —  Collin Balester's story is pretty average.  Collin Balester is not.  —  Balester is a tall pitcher from California who was drafted straight out of high school, and he succeeded in the Minor Leagues throwing a hard fastball.

Homers back Bonderman in win  —  Tigers starter earns first win in August with quality start  —  KANSAS CITY — Joel Zumaya believes Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman are the American League's best 1-2 punch.  The pair has each thrown an impressive performance in the past four days …

Phillies Chase down New York  —  A rout, a rally and a rare call gave the Phillies their first three wins over the Mets in a pivotal series.  —  Then came the wildest game of all.  —  Chase Utley hit an RBI single off Billy Wagner in the ninth inning and the Phillies completed a huge sweep …

Pirates Notebook: Duffy to have surgery  —  Chris Duffy, the Pirates' opening-day center fielder, will have surgery on his left shoulder tomorrow, two sources confirmed yesterday.  —  The surgery will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Los Angeles Angels' team physician who examined Duffy yesterday in Los Angeles.

Dodgers willing to gamble on Loaiza  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  The moment the Dodgers claimed A's right-hander Esteban Loaiza on waivers, they forfeited all leverage in trade discussions.  —  Their decision to risk absorbing the $8 million-plus remaining on Loaiza's contract was yet another reflection …

Prospectus Today  —  Jose Reyes  —  The Angels sweep, the Indians sweep, the Padres take a third, the Phillies take a third, the Yankees take a second...we'll see how all of these storylines develop today as these series come to a close, some of them in matinees.

Guillen rips into Sox  —  X-rated rant follows loss to Rangers in extra innings  —  ARLINGTON, Texas — After watching the White Sox's offense sink to a new low Wednesday night, manager Ozzie Guillen fired his own attack during a 4 1/2 -minute tirade.  —  "The offense threw dirt on the grave …

Strained oblique to cost Bedard start in Boston  —  Rookie Olson will be recalled from Bluefield to take ace's turn  —  The Orioles were able to divert their attention from their beleaguered bullpen yesterday, but only so they could attempt to patch up their rotation.

Tilting the Playing Field  —  "It is the best game because the players look like us.  They are not seven feet tall, they don't weigh 350 pounds, and they don't bench-press 650.  We can relate to them.  We can see them—they're not obscured by some hideous face mask, and they don't play behind …